Livestock oiler



L. R. HALL LIVESTOCK OILER Dec. 13, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 16,1959 INVENTOR.

LAEEV R HA LL A TTOE/VE 5/5 Dec. 13, 1960 R. HALL LIVESTOCK OILER 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1959 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Ofifice 2,954,011 Patented Dec. 13, 19:60

LIVESTOCK OILER Larry R. Hall, Isabel, S. Dak.

Filed Oct. 16, 1959, Ser. No. 846,955

7 Claims. (Cl. 119-157) This invention relates to a novel livestockoiler of the type having a flexible applicator post, and adjustable,gravity seated valve means for feeding oil to the post, from a postmounted tank.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a more etfective andeflicient device of the kind indicated, which provides more positive andcontrolled feed of oil to the post, and from which the oil tank can bereadily removed, for storage or other purposes, leaving the post inplace, without subjecting the post to weather damage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanically andstructurally superior device of the character indicated above, which ismore rugged and resistant to being damaged by animals using the same,and which can be more easily and conveniently serviced, when repairs orreplacements of parts become necessary.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device of the invention, showing thesame set into a base in the ground;

Figure 2a is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical section takenthrough the upper part of Figure 1 on the line 22;

Figure 2b is a similarly enlarged section taken through the lower partof Figure l on the line 2-2, showing, in phantom lines, the post removedby its spike; and

Figures 3, 4 and are enlarged horizontal sections taken on the lines3-3, 44 and 5--5, respectively, of Figure 2a.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the illustrated devicecomprises a vertical post assembly 10, a post supporting spike 12,securably engaged in a ground-engaging base 14, and an oil supply tank16 mounted on the upper end of the post assembly.

The post assembly comprises a vertically elongated rigid metal tube 18having an open lower end 20, in which is suitably secured a spider 22,and an upwardly tapered upper end portion 24, in which is suitablyfixed, as indicated at 26, a stationary nut 28.

Fixed, as indicated at 30, to the center of the spider 22, is the lowerend of a straight rigid rod 32, which rises axially and spacedly in thetube 18 to a point near to and spaced below the upper end portion 24.The rod has fixed on its upper end a spider 34 whose legs are fixed tothe side wall 19 of the tube 18 at their outer ends, for holding the rodcentered in the tube. At vertically spaced intervals, the rod 32 hasfixed thereon upwardly tapered conical spreaders and deflectors 38,which have free lowerjedges 4t) which are concentrically spaced close tothe tube side wall. -At locations immediately beneath the lower edges 40of related--spreaders 38, the

tube side wall 19 is punched in to-provide'triangular oil receivers 42,spaced around the tube side wall, which dea cline to openings 44 throughthe side wall 19. The tube side wall 19 can be provided, if desired,with small holes or perforations 45 to supplement the openings.

Circumposed on and extending to a point near the lower end of the tube18 is a jacket 46 of absorbent material, which is enclosed in a wiremesh sleeve 48, which serves to hold the jacket in place on the tube,protect the jacket against undue abrasions by animal contacts therewith,and to have the additional function of acting as a scratcher. Oilfalling onto the spreaders 38 is directed outwardly to the receivers 42which flow oil through the openings 44 and holes 45 to and into theabsorbent jacket 46 and serve to prevent oil entering the upper end ofthe tube from falling therethrough from accumulating on the lower end ofthe tube without adequate contact with the jacket.

Securably circumposed on the lower end of the tube 18, is the upper endof a heavy helical spring 50, whose lower end is securably circumposedon the upper end of a heavy cylindrical spike 12, which is rigidlysecured in a base 14, such as a concrete slab, embedded in the ground G.This flexible and resilient mounting of the post on the base 14 enablesthe post to be flexed harmlessly by animals rubbing thereagainst,facilitates application of oil to the rubbed areas, and serves to openand close an oil flow control valve assembly 52.

The valve assembly 52 comprises a cylindrical valve body 54 which has athreaded lower end 56 which is threaded downwardly in the nut 28, athreaded upper end 58, and a lateral flange 55 located between the ends.On the upper end of the valve body 54 is a reduced diameter upstandingthreaded nipple 60, and a vertical axial bore 62 which extends throughthe valve body and is formed with a valve seat 64 at the upper end ofthe nipple 60. An inverted cup-shaped valve cover or cage 66 is threadedonto the nipple 60 and has a top wall 68 through which is axiallythreaded an adjusting screw 70, having a finger knob 72 on its upperend, above the cover 66, and provided with a lock nut 74 which bearsupon the cover top wall 68. The screw 70terminates at its lower end in areduced diameter pin 76 to contact the top of a ball valve 78 which isconfined for limited lateral and vertical movement within the cover,relative to the valve seat 64.

The arrangement of the ball valve 78, the seat 64, and the cover 66 issuch that whenever the post is tilted, by contact of an animaltherewith, the ball valve is rolled laterally off the seat 64, so thatoil from a supply tank 16 can flow through openings 82, provided in thecover side wall 84, enter the valve body bore 62, and fall into the tube18, and onto the spreaders 38. When the post returns to its erectposition, when released by an animal, the ball valve 78 is rolled backinto the valve seat 64, so that flow of oil through the valve body iscut off. Downward adjustment of the adjusting screw 70 serves todecrease the flow of oil through the valve body 54, by limiting theamount of roll of the ball valve away from the seat, when the post istilted out of erect position.

The valve body 54 also serves as the mounting for the oil supply tank16, the tank having a conical bottom wall 86, having a nut 88 fixed inan opening at the apex thereof, which is threaded onto the upper end 58of the valve body 54, and against the lateral flange 55. The tank isclosed, and has a filling plug 90 in its top wall 92. The tank 16 can beremoved from the post by screwing the same upwardly off the upper end ofthe valve body, while the "valve body is held stationary to avoid itsbeing screwed out of the'upper end of the tube 18, the valvecove'r orcage .66 'being'small enough'in diameter to pass through the opening ofthe'nut 88 on the lower end of'the tank. -With the tank 16 removed fromthe post, water in the form of, rain or melted snow,

3 cannot harmfully enter the tube 18, because of the normally closedposition of the ball valve 78, unless the post he tilted out of itserect position, and the spring can be'made stilt enough that expectedwinds will not tilt the'post :far enough to unseat the ball valve.

Although there has been shown and described herein a'preferred formofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto; and that any change of changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements 'of-cornponents thereofare contemplated as being within the scope of the invention -as definedby the claimsappended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A livestock oiler comprising a base, a flexible post mounted on thebase,'said post comprising a rigid tube having a closed lower end and anopen upper end, said tube having a side wall provided with openingmeans, an absorbent jacket circumposed on and extending along the tube,a valve body secured in the upper end of the tube, said valve bodyhaving a vertical bore extending therethrough, said bore having a lowerend opening into the tube and an upper end, a valve seat in the body atthe upper end of the bore, a ball valve engaged with the upper end ofthe valve body and normally seated in and closing the valve seat, avalve cage secured on the upper end of the valve body and confining theball valve to rolling engagement with the upper end of the valve bodyand said valve seat, said cage having a side wall provided withopenings.

2. A livestock oiler comprising a base, a flexible post mounted on thebase, said post comprising a rigid tube having a closed lower end and anopen upper end, said tube having a side wall provided with openingmeans, an absorbent jacket circumposed on an extending along the tube, avalve body secured in the upper end of the tube, said valve body havinga vertical bore extending therethrough, said bore having a lower endopening into the tube and an upper end, a valve seat in the body at theupper end of the bore, a ball valve engaged with the upper end of thevalve body and normally seated in and closing the valve seat, a valvecage secured on the upper end of the valve body and confining the ballvalve to rolling engagement with the upper end of the valve body andsaid valve seat, said cage having a side wall provided with openings,and an oil tank having a bottom wall provided with an opening, saidvalve cage being inserted through said opening and positioned within thetank, and means removably mounting the tank on the valve body 'with thevalve body closing said opening.

3. A livestock oiler comprising a base, a flexible post mounted on thebase, said post comprising a rigid tube having a closed lower end and anopen upper end, said tube having a side wall provided with openingmeans, an absorbent jacket circumposed on and extending along the tube,a valve body secured in the upper end of the tube, said valve bodyhaving a vertical bore extending therethrough, said bore having a lowerend opening into the tube and an upper end, a valve seat in the body atthe upper end of the bore, a ball valve engaged with the upper end ofthe valve body and normally seated in and closing the valve seat, avalve cage secured on the upper end of the valve body and confining theball valve to rolling engagement with the upper end of the valve bodyand said valve seat, said cage having a side wall provided withopenings, and an oil tank having a bottom wall provided with an opening,said valve cage being inserted through said opening and positionedwithin the tank, and means removably mounting the tank on the valve bodywith the valve body closing said opening, a rod secured to and risingfrom the closed lower end of the tube and concentrically spaced from thetube side wall, and vertically spaced spreaders fixed on the rod havinglower edges located close to the tube side wall.

4. A livestock oiler comprising a base, a flexible post mounted on thebase, said post comprising a rigid tube having a closed lower end and anopen upper end, said tube having a side wall provided with openingmeans, an absorbent jacket circumposed ion and extending along the tube,a valve body secured in the upper end of the tube, said valve bodyhaving a vertical bore extending therethrough, said bore having a lowerend opening into the tube and an upper end, a valvepseat in the body atthe upper end of the bore, a ball valve engaged with the upper end ofthe valve body and normally seated in and closing the valve seat, avalve cage secured on the upper end of the valve body and confining theball valve to rolling engagement with the upper end of the valve body 7and said valve seat, said cage having a side wall provided withopenings, and an oil tank having a bottom wall provided with an opening,said valve cage being inserted through said opening and positionedwithin the tank, and means removably mounting the tank on the valve bodywith the valve body closing said opening, a rod secured to and risingfrom the closed lower end of the tube and concentrically spaced from thetube side wall, and vertically spaced spreaders fixed on the rod havinglower edges located close to the tube side wall, said openingmeanscomprising openings spaced around the tube side wall and outwardlydeclining receivers extending inwardly from the side wall beneath thelower edges of related spreaders and declinIng to related openings.

5. A livestock oiler comprising a base, a flexible post mounted on thebase, said post comprising a rigid tube having a closed lower end and anopen upper end, said tube having a side wall provided with openingmeans, an absorbent jacket circumposed on and extending along the tube,a valve body secured in the upper end of the tube, said valve bodyhaving a vertical bore extending therethrough, said bore having a lowerend opening into the tubeand an upper end, a valve seat in the body atthe upper end of the bore, a ball valve engaged with the upper end ofthe valve body and normally seated in and closing the valve seat, avalve cage secured on the upper end of the valve body and confining theball valve to rolling engagement with the upper end of the valve bodyand said valve seat, said cage having a side wall provided withopenings, and an oil tank having a bottom wall provided with an opening,said valve cage being inserted through said opening and positionedwithin the tank, and means removably mounting the tank on the valve bodywith the valve body closing said opening, a rod secured to and risingfrom the closed lower end of the tube and concentrIcally spaced from thetube side wall, and vertically spaced spreaders fixed on the rod havinglower edges located close to the tube side wall, said opening meanscomprising openings spaced around the tube side wall and outwardlydeclining receivers extending inwardly from the side wall beneath thelower edges of related spreaders and declining to related openings, anda spider secured to said rod and having legs secured to the tube sidewall.

6. A livestock oiler comprising a base, a flexible post mounted on thebase, said post comprising a rigid tube having a closed lower end and anopen upper end, said tube having a side wall provided with openingmeans, an absorbent jacket circumposed on and extending along the tube,a valve body secured in the upper end of the tube, said valve bodyhaving a vertical bore extending therethrough, said bore having a lowerend opening into the tube and an upper end, a valve seat in the body atthe upper end of the bore, a ball valve engaged with the upper end ofthe valve body and normally seated in and closing the valve seat, avalve cage secured on the upper end of the valve body and confining theball valve to rolling engagement with the upper end of the valve bodyand said valve seat, said cage having a side wall provided withopenings, and an oil tank having a bottom wall provided with an opening,said valve cage bein'g inserted through said opening and positionedwithin the tank, and means removably mounting the tank on the valve bodywith the valve body closing said opening,-

said cage having a top wall spaced upwardly from the upper end of thevalve body, a vertical adjusting screw threaded through said top wall,said screw having a lower end to contact the top of the ball valve forlimiting vertical and lateral movements of the ball valve relative tothe valve seat.

7. A livestock oiler comprising a base, a flexible post mounted on thebase, said post comprising a rigid tube having a closed lower end and anopen upper end, said tube having a side wall provided with openingmeans, an absorbent jacket circumposed on and extending along the tube,a valve body secured in the upper end of the tube, said valve bodyhaving a vertical bore extending therethrough, said bore having a lowerend opening into the tube and an upper end, a valve seat in the body atthe upper end of the bore, a ball valve engaged with the upper end ofthe valve body and normally seated in and closing the valve seat, avalve cage secured on the upper end of the valve body and confining theball valve to rolling engagement with the upper end of the valve bodyand said valve seat, said cage having a side wall provided withopenings, and a metal mesh scratcher sleeve circumposed on and securedto the absorbent jacket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

